Trends In Education
EDUCATION
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listening to a story as they turn the pages of colorful books.
The six headphones, a CD player and a tape player were
funded by a grant from the nonprofit St. Lucie Education
Foundation. The grant paid for the audio equipment for every
kindergarten and second-grade classroom. Ilyse Brainin,
a literacy and instructional coach for St. Lucie County public
schools, came up with the idea.
The teachers reported that the kids loved listening and even
enjoyed writing about what they heard, “and there were no
groans,” a report said, when a child went to the listening center.
Such assistance would be very hard to come by without the
county education foundation, said Thom Jones, the foundation’s
president.
The foundation was created in 1990 by the St. Lucie County
Chamber of Commerce and school district leaders. It was
housed in school district offices to save money and its two
employees, one full-time and one part-time, are paid by the
school board. It operates independently of the board, choosing
its own projects and raising money for them, Jones said.
“We are a direct-support organization,” he said, “which
means we only support the public school district.”
Last year, the organization awarded about $72,000 in
grants. Funding is greatly enhanced by the state’s matching
grant program, which will match donor dollars in six categories,
he said. Last year more than 60 scholarships were given
out to graduating students.
Among the foundation’s many grant programs is one that
encourages first-generation Americans to set their sights on
post-secondary education through the STAR business mentor
program. Through it, high school juniors and seniors, who
may not be college bound, are encouraged to consider technical
and career schools to prepare for entering the workforce.
EDUCATION FOUNDATION OF INDIAN RIVER COUNTY
Executive Director Cynthia Falardeau
2926 Piper Drive, Building 13, Vero Beach
564.0034
www.edfoundationirc.org
Mission: The Education Foundation of Indian River County
is a nonprofit organization that works to enhance our community’s
investment in our schools with the goal of achieving
excellence for students and educators.
The Education Foundation of Indian River County is
unique in Florida for placing public and charter schools,
private schools, parochial schools and home-schooled children
under its support umbrella, Executive Director Cynthia
Falardeau said.
Founded in 1991, its first project was the Indian River Science
and Engineering Fair. The popular event continues and
is considered the foundation’s signature program.
Since then the foundation, which operates with two fulltime
employees paid by the foundation, has grown to include
projects involving about 500 volunteers a year. The programs
include one that helps children receive vision screening and
glasses; one that provides backpacks and supplies for about
2,000 children yearly; and a sneaker exchange, which has
given out more than 20,000 pairs of shoes to students from
kindergarten through 12th grade since 1993.
In December, the foundation announced it had awarded
$30,000 to five schools for a wide variety of innovative projects.
Glendale Elementary, for example, received $9,499 to buy >>
Students work at a SMART table
funded by a gift from the Johns
Island Foundation to the Education
Foundation of Indian River County.
The tabletop touchscreen delights
the kids who are using it.
EDUCATION FOUNDATION OF INDIAN RIVER COUNTY
/www.edfoundationirc.org